


Accident

by PerriewinkleNerdie



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 17:29:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20604566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerriewinkleNerdie/pseuds/PerriewinkleNerdie
Summary: A conference in Miami allowed them to explore their feelings, getting closer to each other, by pure accident.





	Accident

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello, hello!  
This fic came to be before chapter 10, back when we didn't know how the amazing scene would go.  
Enjoy! <3

The moment Harper Emery said that she’s going to go to Miami for a medical conference, she was ecstatic. She couldn’t wait to tell her roommates about it, plan their trip, a chance for them all to unwind and forget about the competition for a moment. Then, a second later, Chief said that she’s the only intern going. That worried her, it was bound to put an even bigger space between her and her friends. And then came the thunder.

She was going there with dr. Ethan Ramsey. Only the two of them. Alone.

The thought excited and terrified her all at the same time. She didn’t know what to think of it. Ethan was… an enigma. She never knew what he was thinking, his face very rarely expressed any emotions, a closed book, a blank slate.

He made her nervous. Those blue eyes that seemed to see right through her without even trying.

There was more to Ethan Ramsey than he let on.

She already knew a few things about him, she was helping him cure Naveen. They would often spend long evenings in his office or his apartment, combing through all the books they could find, all the cases to ever have happened but nothing was conclusive. She wasn’t going to give up, though. Not only because Naveen became her friend, and not only because she wanted to save him. Her main motivation was _him. _Ethan had already lost Dolores, she couldn’t stand the thought of him losing Naveen too. She knew that would kill him, destroy beyond repair.

As expected, her roommates for the most part didn’t talk to her about her trip. She felt bad, even though she knew she shouldn’t. She earned this spot. She was working her butt off to become the best doctor she could be and she was proud of herself for her work being recognized and appreciated. She wasn’t going to apologize for something that wasn’t even her idea.

Ethan picked her up from her apartment the day of their flight at 6.30 AM, getting out of the car to help her with her bag and opening the door for her, shutting it behind her. A classical piece was playing, no surprise there.

The flight was pretty uneventful, she has flown on the plane before so there was no problem there. They got to their hotel in the late afternoon, the conference was starting the next day.

“Let’s go to our rooms, we’ll meet here in half an hour, grab something to eat and then, if you’re feeling up for it, I could give you a tour around town? I know my way here, I’ve been here a couple of times.” He said as they were making their way towards their respective rooms, both of their bags in his hands.

“Fine by me. See you in a few.” She smiled brightly at him and the corners of his lips went up for a second or two. He began making his way towards his room when she called out. “Dr. Ramsey?” he turned around, his eyes curious. “Thank you. For your help with the bag, I mean.”

“Don’t worry about it, Rookie.” He smirked and turned back around, the muscles of his arm flexing from carrying his bag.

She entered her room again, her bag on her bed, where he left it. She changed out of her travel clothes, opting for something more comfortable, deciding on jeans, a loose white shirt, leather jacket and flats, her hair in a messy ponytail.

Twenty minutes later she made her way down to the lobby. It was empty, except for the receptionist who greeted her with a warm smile before going back to work. She stood by the big window, facing the front of the hotel, getting lost in her thoughts.

She didn’t see or hear him approach her or call her name, her mind somewhere else. Only once he tapped her on her shoulder did she turn around. He changed his shirt from blue to white, a black blazer hanging from his hand over his shoulder.

“Shall we? There is an amazing restaurant a few blocks away.” He nodded outside.

“Sure, let’s go!”

They stepped outside and she followed him. They didn’t talk all too much on their way there except for a few times he pointed out something interesting to her. They reached the restaurant in ten minutes, sitting down and ordering food. They were sitting opposite to each other, making small talk and doing some “people-watching”, their new favorite thing to do in their pass time.

“So… do you know why Chief Emery sent us here alone?”

“Is there a problem with that?” he teased her, his voice betraying a trace of insecurity.

“No, it’s just that… I don’t exactly understand…” she trailed off, trying to gather her thoughts.

“What do you think of the city so far?” he changed the subject swiftly.

“It’s breathtaking. That little park we passed on our way here… it was beautiful, so peaceful and quiet.” She smiled softly, her mind going to that place. He was watching her, as though he was trying to read her, guess what she was thinking about.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. So, the conference is starting tomorrow at 9 AM and we’ll be there for a couple of hours. Which means that if you want to see that park, we better get going.”

“Wait, what do you mean?” she asked, confused.

“You do want to see that park, right?” he pointed his pinky towards the door.

“Yeah, but…”

“There’s no “but”, we’re going there now. We should be back at the hotel before 9 PM so we have a real chance at getting some sleep, those conferences are interesting but extremally tiring. You’ll need all the energy you can get. Lucky for us, their coffee is top notch, not like that dishwater at the hospital.” He smiled teasingly, recalling their conversation from a few weeks ago.

“Fine. Let’s go then.” She stood up and reached towards her bag for her wallet when she felt his hand catch her wrist gently.

“Don’t even think about it, Rookie.” He looked at her, shaking his head and reaching for his own wallet, passing his card to their waiter.

They went outside, turning their steps towards the park they talked about earlier. 

It truly was breathtaking. Everything was colorful, trees green, flowers in full bloom, birds singing softly in the background. They wandered the pathways for a better half of an hour, conversation flowing between them. She saw a small shop with sweets in the corner of her eye.

“I’ll be right back. Sit tight and enjoy the moment of peace.” She winked and left his side, his eyes following her every move. She could feel his stare on her back. There was a huge selection, but her ultimate decision has been made in a matter of seconds.

She sat back down next to him, took his hand in hers without warning and placed a chocolate bar on his palm, a soft smile grazing her lips.

“Treating yourself, yeah? Also, a small thank you for taking me here even though you didn’t have to. It really means a lot to me.”

“No problem, really. I wanted to visit it myself and saw the opportunity.” They knew each other long enough for her to know he was lying. The corners of his eyes creased a little.

“Sure you did. Anyway, thanks.” They stood up and made their way towards their hotel. He walked her towards her room.

“Goodnight, Claire. Have some sleep, you’ll need it tomorrow”

“Goodnight… Ethan.” They bid each other farewell and when she closed her door, he went to his own room.

The next day she woke up fairly early, deciding that she only had one chance to enter the conference with a bang. She chose to wear a dress. A black dress. A dress that was tight and a little short, along with a blazer and a pair of heels. They agreed to meet in the lobby by 8.30 AM, given the fact that the conference was taking place in another hotel, fifteen minutes away from their own. She grabbed her purse and made her way out the door. He was already there, turned away from her. From what she could see, he was wearing a tailored suit, black and elegant and undeniably sexy. She stood behind him and cleared her throat softly, grabbing his attention. He turned around and froze. His brain seemed to have stopped working for a full minute. His eyes fell to her feet, slowly making their way up her body. She felt as though he was undressing her with his gaze. After a moment he snapped out of it, probably realizing what he was doing and where they were.

“You look… amazing.” He concluded, a smile of approval on his lips.

“You don’t look bad yourself, Mr. Ramsey.” A playful smirk appeared on her face. He cleared his throat and shook his head.

“Shall we?” he extended his arm towards her. She took it and they both made their way to the conference.

Once there, he began introducing her to various important people in their field. She made a very good impression on all of them, her knowledge and eloquence on a variety of subjects impressing him and their companions. They found their seats, on the edge of their row, and settled down. At first he didn’t notice anything because he was busy talking to the doctor sitting before him, but the moment he turned his gaze towards her he stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating for a second.

She sat down and turned towards the doctor to her right to talk to her. Claire’s legs were crossed, but that’s no what made him freeze. The position she was sitting in made her dress ride up. And because it rode up, he was able to see her long legs a little better. To be more specific, she had thigh high stockings on, a strip of lace at the top of them, clearly visible to him from where he was sitting. He didn’t know how he was supposed to get past it and proceed with his day. His brain was melted, no longer functioning. He quickly averted his gaze, feeling his cheeks becoming a little warm. Meanwhile, she was almost completely unaware of what was happening to him. Almost. Because he had such a strong influence on her, she could feel his eyes on her. She turned her head slowly towards him to find his gaze trained on the stage, his cheeks a little pink. She smirked and took out her notepad, conference finally starting.

Ethan wasn’t kidding. The day was filled to the brim with interesting people and interesting subjects, but it was extremally difficult to not become tired after a few hours. Thank god for coffee. Finally, after a whole day of lectures and research presentations, a big dinner for everyone and meeting new people, they were able to make their way back to their hotel. It was probably a mix of alcohol and exhaustion that made their conversation a lot looser and lighter than normal. Jokes were exchanged, anecdotes about their coworkers thrown into the conversation here and there. They reached her room, they stood next to her door, her back flush against the fall. They couldn’t seem to stop talking. She yawned, her hand covering her mouth.

“Well, it’s been a long day, you weren’t kidding.” She laughed and her laughed with her. His gaze averted from her for a second, looking to his right at the small clock on the wall next to them.

She took a step closer to kiss his cheek goodbye when he turned his head back towards her. It was an accident.

Their lips met.

For the first few seconds they were both confused, tired and not sure what was happening. Then, it seemed as though they both woke up. His arms went around her waist, hers tangled in his hair. He pressed her against the door, reaching with one hand to open it. He picked her up and carried her inside, kicking the door behind them. He wandered towards her bed, placing her gently there before climbing next to her, never breaking their kiss. Her fingers removed his blazer and started working on the buttons of his shirt. His hands moved towards her thighs, tracing the patterns of lace on her stockings. He broke the kiss, his lips moving down to her neck, nipping at it, leaving small marks all over it. Suddenly, she took his face in her hands and made him look at her.

“Ethan… wait.” Their eyes met and she saw him sobering a little, his hands stopping his moves, becoming still.

“Yeah… you’re probably right, we shoul…” he started saying something and she knew exactly what he was going to say. That’s why she didn’t let him finish his thought. She pecked his lips softly.

“No. That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Ho… how do you know what I was about to say?”

“Ethan. Like it or not, I actually know you. Granted, not as much as I would like, but I do know how your thought process goes. Don’t you dare tell me that this…” she pointed towards them “… is a mistake. Because it isn’t.”

“Then why did you stop?” he asked softly, sounding a little uncertain.

“There is nothing in this world that I want more right now, trust me. I just think that if we’re going to do this, we should do it correctly. And properly. When we’re not drunk and tired and out of town. When we are not in a hotel. When we have all the time in the world instead of only a few hours, after which we’ll have to get to the conference room again. Do you understand what I’m saying?” her eyes found his, her fingers stroking his cheeks softly. He moved his hands to her back, hugging her closer to him.

“I do understand. And I really like and admire the way you think. Thank you… for talking me down from the spiral of my thoughts, it’s just that… when things don’t exactly go my way, my brain tends to go into overdrive, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.” He stopped talking, a crease forming on his forehead, a sign he was thinking about something really hard. Finally, he looked her straight in the eyes and spoke the words she wanted to hear and he longed to say for such a long time they both didn’t remember the time before that need and want.

“You are incredibly important to me. You are one of my only friends, one of the people I am closest with, I know I can confide in you, tell you everything, trust you. You are my constant in the world of uncertainties. I’m so happy and lucky to have found you.” he kissed her cheek softly, his eyes sparkling, his breathing a little lighter. It seemed like his confession took a huge weight off his shoulders.

“We have a lot of time. We don’t have to rush it.” she ran her fingers through his hair. “And…” she trailed off.

“And…?” he asked with a smile on his face.

“… you’re important to me too, Ethan.” She kissed his cheek, snuggling into his chest, his arms pressed her against him more securely, and they went to sleep like that.

\---------

The next morning she was woken up by a movement on her back and arm. She opened her eyes and took a look around. Ethan was wide awake, his fingers running up and down her skin, an amused smile on his face.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He said quietly, his voice still heavy and low from sleep. She moved her hand to place it on his cheek, bringing his face closer to hers, kissing his lips softly. He nuzzled her nose with his, hugging her closer.

“Good morning, handsome” she smiled.

“We have a solid hour and a half to get ready before we have to leave.” He looked at her suggestively, she swatted his arm with her palm, a playful smile on her lips.

“Oh no, mister. We are getting up and going out. We’re going to grab some breakfast and see some more of the city on our way there. Then we’ll get through the conference and then we’ll talk about our… situation.”

“Situation? Really?” he smirked but he knew what she was talking about. They had to think about how things should and would happen between them when they go back to Boston.

“Yes, really. Now, up!” she swiped her index finger down his chest teasingly, winking at him.

“Yes, my lady.” He grumbled lowly, looking at her figure, a fascinating sight from where he was laying.

They got dressed, not without teasing one another, and somehow managed to get out of the hotel, grab something to eat and not be late for the second day of the conference. Throughout the day they strived to find a way to be connected. They would hold hands, their thighs and shoulders would touch while sitting down, his hand was on the small of her back when they were talking or walking. The day was coming to a close. Tomorrow they would be back in Boston and everything would be different. They both dreaded this conversation. Something had to be said, they had to think of a game plan.

“Okay. What do we do tomorrow? I mean, it’s not like we can just… openly date, right? Harper and other older doctors would murder you, my friends and other interns would murder me…” she trailed off, a small line forming between her eyes. He smoothed it out with his thumb.

“I say we try to keep it a secret. I don’t know if I will be able to stay away from you, but it is worth a try if the only other way is not being able to have you at all… the choice is clear in my mind.”

“And what, hide our relationship from everyone forever?”

“No. just until the competition is over. There is no policy at the hospital that I am aware of that forbids two doctors from dating, it’s just that this competition complicates everything. But that doesn’t change the fact that I want you in my life. I can live with a few months more of sneaking around if it means I get to have you.” he said quietly, his eyes sincere, looking into hers, showing her all that he couldn’t say with his words. She nodded.

“Okay… let’s do it.”

“Wait, really?” he was genuinely shocked.

“Did you think I would say ‘no’”? she laughed a little, his expression making her giggle.

“Actually, yes…”

“Ethan, I already told you. You are important to me, I will grab any opportunity to be with you.” she smiled warmly, hugging him. Their lips met in a kiss, expressing their feelings towards each other without the need to speak.

They still had a few hours. And when they get back home, they will deal with it, day by day, standing together, holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes.


End file.
